why do older women get a widening parting ?

[wavyhair]

hi i haven't had any hair loss yet (touch wood) but i know allot of women my age or a similar age who have a widening parting , whats the cause of it, how can older women prevent or reverse it ?

[HeyNowHannah]

I've heard everything from..

Chemicals https://www.morroccomethod.com/faqs/hair-loss#q1
Diet http://books.google.com/books?id=_gtCUiP0ZDUC&pg=PA39&lpg=PA39&dq=dale+alexander+hair+loss&source=bl&ots=PgRVaNUiW4&sig=18OYSJC0XVIhqTOsH6tHl1KyB0s&hl=en&sa=X&ei=6JhvU-GeEtD5oAS4wYHoCQ&ved=0CEgQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=dale%20alexander%20hair%20loss&f=false
Stress http://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-Hair-Loss-Due-to-Stress
As well as inadequate sleep and wearing hats that rub against your hair.

I think all of these are valid to some degree, but the chemicals and diet seem to me to be the most common culprits.

[Anabell]

I think it can be due to sun exposure when wearing the same part every day. I can see on myself (and on others) that the part I wear for most of the time (already stop. Now I try to gently pull it back so there no part) is wider that other parts I create. I believe it can go even wider over time if that what you see on young people.

[ravenreed]

It is impossible to remove "chemicals" from your hair care routine. WATER is a chemical. I suspect suspect some loss of volume is just part of the ageing process. As we get older, our skin gets thinner, our muscles lose tone, a lot of changes happen. However, there are also medical reasons that can lead to thinning hair.

[DweamGoiL]

I think most commonly it's genetics or hormones. I don't know how old the original OP is, but for a lot of women approaching peri and menopause, the hormones start to effect hair thickness and growth. For younger women, yes, allergies or sensitivities to ingredients, diet, and/or stress are usually the culprits.

[Jolly-Good-Show]

Hmmm... I'm just guessing, but maybe after having a few pregnancies as well? Might exaggerate the problem.. I'm no doctor and have never been pregnant, but your body must go through a lot, with hormone changes during and then after the birth. I mean growing a baby must be very tiring on your body I would think.. Also looking after children would wear you it, adding to that. Not all women end up having children obviously, but I suppose a lot do. You might end up forgetting about yourself and your own needs when you have children to think about? I dunno, I'm just guessing!

[ravenreed]

I lost a significant amount of hair after each of my sons was born and not all of it grew back each time. I was lucky to start out with very thick hair so it was unnoticeable to anyone but me.

[lapushka]

Well when I look at the women over 60 in my family, none of them have widening partings, so I don't think it's *everyone* necessarily. Depends on genes, I guess. You can't predict these things, (maybe) unfortunately.

[hmmruka]

Men aren't the only ones who can have hair loss. Thinning hair is just as likely to happen to women with age as men, but its generally not as severe and as fast paced as with men. The hair in the front through the crown is the weakest and tends to be the first place both men and women loose hair. Also tends to be where people see their first greys.

[ravenreed]

I wonder if they might notice a difference that you don't though. I can tell my hair is significantly thinner than when I was younger, but because it is on the low side of normal, anyone else might think I haven't experienced any thinning at all. KWIM?


Well when I look at the women over 60 in my family, none of them have widening partings, so I don't think it's *everyone* necessarily. Depends on genes, I guess. You can't predict these things, (maybe) unfortunately.

[embee]

I have some age related hair thinning, 70+ years can do that. Also some thyroid related thinning. And the hair wasn't that thick to start with. :(

But I do not see that my part is wider than it was. I do move my side part around, sometimes higher, sometimes lower, sometimes center part, sometimes no part. Trying to part on the other side does not work, the hair just won't stay! Plus, to me, I look very strange that way, with the part on the right. ???

I have seen some baldness troubles in older women, and I don't know what I'll do if that happens to me. I really think it is mostly genetic or hormones.

[lapushka]

I wonder if they might notice a difference that you don't though. I can tell my hair is significantly thinner than when I was younger, but because it is on the low side of normal, anyone else might think I haven't experienced any thinning at all. KWIM?

Well I know my mom's hair has thinned, but her parting isn't wider.

[roseomalley]

My hair has thinned at the front hairline, especially. I believe it is a combo of medication (I take blood thinner, heredity and hormones). I can see my scalp through the front, and it makes me sad.

[MadeiraD]

From what I understand it's the change in hormonal balance that comes with menopause.

[Beborani]

Three years ago I found there was no place on my head that I could part without it being wide--center was a large cavity and sides marginally better. This hairloss was probably age related which followed a much bigger losss 30 years ago (those days doctors didnt care about it--they still dont it seems from posts here-- but there were health issues so I can guess at causes). I started minoxidil and now except for the very front which is taking a longer time due to large gaps, most of the place I separate my hair gives normal looking parting. So it is not totally hopeless cause. All my older female relatives, mom, aunts grandmothers have/had great hair--even with thinning there is/was no significant change for casual onlooker.

[browneyedsusan]

I lost a significant amount of hair after each of my sons was born and not all of it grew back each time. I was lucky to start out with very thick hair so it was unnoticeable to anyone but me.

Me too!
I remember Hairdresser commented on it. "Gee, thanks. I hadn't noticed that a bunch of my hair has fallen out." :rolleyes:

[Sarahlabyrinth]

There are five women over 60 in my immediate family over 60, one is 90, and none of them have a widened parting. Their hair is slightly thinner than it used to be but that's all. Maybe it's just the degree of thinning involved, as well as diet, genetics etc. ...

[McFearless]

Traction alopecia is often the cause.

[embee]

How do older women with "mom hair" or "short bobs" have traction alopecia? Mostly they are the ones I see with very thin hair.

[jeanniet]

I don't have a widening part or thinning hair. My mom is 83 and her hair is just as thick as it ever was--in fact, I was just looking at it today while we were on our Mother's Day outing, and she has a lot of hair. Short, but lots of it.

[McFearless]

How do older women with "mom hair" or "short bobs" have traction alopecia? Mostly they are the ones I see with very thin hair.
They may have had a variety of hairstyles through the years before getting that cut.

[In2wishin]

It is called "female pattern baldness" (aka female androgenetic alopecia) and here is a good article describing it: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001173.htm

Here is a pertinent section:



Female pattern baldness involves a typical pattern of hair loss in women, due to hormones, aging, and genes.

Symptoms
Hair thinning is different from that of male pattern baldness. In female pattern baldness:


Hair thins mainly on the top and crown of the scalp. It usually starts with a widening through the center hair part.
The front hairline remains
The hair loss rarely progresses to total or near total baldness, as it may in men


Itching or skin sores on the scalp are generally NOT seen.

ETA: Just like male pattern baldness, not everyone is going to get it and it will vary from person to person but it happens enough that it can be identified.

[browneyedsusan]

It is called "female pattern baldness" (aka female androgenetic alopecia) and here is a good article describing it: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001173.htm

Here is a pertinent section:



ETA: Just like male pattern baldness, not everyone is going to get it and it will vary from person to person but it happens enough that it can be identified.

That makes sense.
I had one grandma with those symptoms, and the other grandma had "normal" hair. I'll have to wait and see! :)
Thanks for sharing.

[Unicorn]

Traction alopecia is often the cause.
This^

Traction alopecia (limited to the parting) can be caused from a lifetime of wearing the same parting with the hair pulled too tightly.

The other variables i.e. hormone/age related thinning hair and male pattern baldness will have an impact on the visible width of the parting, but where the thinning/hair loss is limited only to the parting, it's likely to be traction alopecia.

I've seen it mostly on Asian women who have worn their hair in the same centre parting since childhood. There is of course going to be some genetic impact in terms of how susceptible one's scalp/hair is to traction alopecia and how much constant pressure is enough to weaken the hair root to the point of hair loss.

General thinning of the hair can give the impression of a wider parting, but this is different. I've seen Asian women with a parting, over an inch wide with absolutely no hair in the parting area, while the remaining hair is of normal to thick in appearance.

Unicorn